The Bay Street Players will open the play at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, at the historic State Theatre.

Winner of three Tony awards, including best musical in 2004, "Avenue Q" takes on touchy subjects, such as racism, pornography, homosexuality and using strong language. The theater noted that the play is targeted for adults and is not "for the faint of heart" or those who are easily offended.

"You may have heard these words before, but when a purple monster puppet says them it lessens the impact," director Joel Warren said. "I have more respect for our audience than to cut the language and offer them a watered down version."

One actor, Sage Starkey came to auditions with the ideal attribute — he used to be a puppeteer at Disney World.

"This is my dream show," Starkey said. "And I used to teach at Pinocchio's Marionette Theatre in Altamonte Springs."

Starkey plays Princeton, a recent college graduate eager to find his purpose in life, who falls for Kate Monster, played by Savannah Simerly, a kindergarten assistant who dreams of founding a "Monstersori" school for "young people with fur."